Cherish an Ordinary Day
by My-Only-Love
Summary: The ordinary days of happiness is what they live for the most.


**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, I own the OC's in this oneshot however.**

**Warning:** This story is set after the final manga chapter! If you have not read it, google it. It is worth your time.

**Edited: **I didn't realise this before, but while randomly searching InuYasha on the net, I came across a fact which conflicts with my story. So I've changed a part of the story; which is Kisho. Quarter youkai cannot exist. I've uploaded the image I got off another website, so just remove the spaces.

i4 . photobucket . com/ albums/ y130/ SAS1315/ punnettsqaure.jpg

* * *

The sun slowly rose up over the horizon, bringing the dawn of a new day. For most of the villagers that resided under the miko Kaede's influence, today would be quite ordinary. They would rise, eat breakfast, attend to their daily chores, and have dinner before going to bed, and while some favoured a desperate change in the mundane lives, other wouldn't wish for a change at all.

Six years had past since Kagome returned through the well.

* * *

"Mama! Mama! It's first light!"

Kagome moaned before rubbing her eyes and let them adjusted to the light. Gone were the days when she could simply roll over and curl up at her husband's side in the morning. She said goodbye to those days when her and InuYasha's first-born son had entered this world.

Kagome sat up to find her five-year-old son fidgeting on the empty side of the futon staring happily at her. She smiled at him. "You know what day it is don't you, Kisho?"

He nodded, a grin set on his face. "Papa's coming home!"

Kagome slowly rosed to her feet, being wary of her five month pregnant belly in the way, and pushed through the beaded divider of her little home into the main room. She decided to make a start on breakfast, after all with Kisho bouncing around now, there was no chance in going back to sleep. She looked over at her son, who was absentmindedly scratching the floor with his claws. Kisho was full of surprises; she found that out the day he was born.

Apart from being a hanyou - as much as Kagome and InuYasha had expected - he did set the new standard in the village for being 'different'. His ears were the focal point; he had one dog-ear like his father, his right ear, and he had a human ear like his mother, his left ear.

"Mama?" Kisho asked.

"Yes?" Kagome replied, not straying from her task at hand.

"When will Papa be back?"

"Not sure. Could be anytime today, may not even be today."

"What?" Kisho's voice sounded heartbroken. He really wanted his father back now as something was bothering him and it was an issue his mother could fully relate to. "But you said-"

"I know what I said sweetie," Kagome began gently, turning to gaze at him. "But sometimes it's not always spot on the time I said."

Kisho pouted and looked down towards the wooden floor.

"Kisho, something wrong?"

He saw his mother walk over to him on her knees and he shook his head. "Nothing Mama. Don't worry."

He didn't see his mother's saddened face as he walked out of the hut, his shoulders slumped in misery.

* * *

"Reckon we'll make it back before nightfall?" Miroku questioned InuYasha for the tenth time.

InuYasha growled in annoyance as he shifted their reward slightly on his shoulders. "I swear Miroku if you ask me that question again, you won't make it back to the village at all."

Miroku was not put out by his empty threats. "We'll it is a genuine question that you have failed to answer."

"Maybe 'cause I don't fucking know?" he snarled back.

Miroku sighed and then thought about his family. Sango was pregnant again, this time with their fifth child. Two years ago, Sango gave birth to another boy, bringing their little family up to a total of six - counting themselves of course. Naturally Miroku was anxious to see her and their children.

Although Miroku wasn't the only one anxious to rush home, InuYasha was feeling just the same. Kagome was pregnant with their second child and just like her first pregnancy; InuYasha flew into a little overbearing protective mode that almost drove Kagome insane. InuYasha halted in his tracks for a moment, taking in the air around them. When he caught a familiar scent he continued walking, as if the scent he had picked up was not worth stopping for.

"What is it?" Miroku asked, still standing in one spot from when InuYasha had stopped.

"He'll catch up to us." InuYasha elaborated no more.

Miroku soon found out whose scent he had picked up on.

"Thought I smelt you guys!" Shippou address his friends, as he ran towards them from the left. "I was just heading back to the village now. Where have you two been?"

"Working." Miroku explained, "How are your exams going?" he added casually.

"Good, I thought I'd take a break from them and visit you guys."

Shippou was no longer the little kitsune anymore. As the years pasted his powers had grown, as well as his physical attributes. His hair was rapidly reaching InuYasha's length - although his was still tied up - and he was gaining on his fellow men's height. He was no longer ten years old, but a sixteen year old teenager. Being a teenager came naturally for Shippou, he never had to suddenly mature, as he had gained most of his maturity through travelling with his friends, on the quest for the Shikon no Tama and Naraku nine years ago now.

"Need help carrying that Miroku? Looks heavy." Coming from Shippou's mouth, it sounded like an offer, had InuYasha asked it would have sounded like taunting, no matter what spin he put on it.

"No thanks, I'm alright Shippou." Shifting one of the bundles of rice to his other hand and placing his staff in the other.

InuYasha began to fiddle with the rosary around his neck. The rosary that only worked when Kagome used the incantation 'sit', he fell face first to the ground. It would never be removed from his neck, not by choice, but because it could never be removed. No one had ever thought this possible until Kaede revealed the news a few months after Kagome had returned through the well. InuYasha wouldn't forget that day in a hurry; after all it was the day Kagome had said 'sit' for the first time in years and their first real fight as a married couple.

_InuYasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, plus their children and Shippou were relaxing in the shade near the Bone Eater's Well. The day was pleasant, and they decided not to let most of this nice day go to waste with work. Shippou had just returned from the Kitsune Inn after a short amount of time and was happy to spend time with his friends. Shippou was ten and from the assistance of Miroku, then followed up by Sango and Kagome, Shippou knew all about the birds and the bees. He wasn't completely in the dark anymore about certain things revolving around his friends, _

_for Miroku and Sango's children were evidence enough. _

_Of course that day he noticed a change in Kagome and InuYasha's scents. They were the same, yet a little mixed. He quickly put one and two together and figured out was going on, perhaps he figured it a little quicker with Miroku's knowing smile. Shippou wasted no time in teasing InuYasha about it, at Kagome's expense. He crudely said something along the lines of 'taking her like the dog he sometimes was'. InuYasha and Kagome went bright red under a second and Sango flushed to looking away. Miroku gasped, he never would have said something like that to InuYasha, it was too rude and he had his boundaries. Even if Miroku had thought about making a remark like that, he knew better than to say it. Saying comments like that to InuYasha was pretty much a warrant for certain death._

_InuYasha's embarrassment lasted as quickly as it was brought on. He was seething with rage and he was planning on beating the shit out of Shippou. It was one thing to insult him openly like that - he'd been doing it for years and vice versa - but to do that to Kagome. Well it was just not on._

_Kagome noticed the serious danger Shippou was in and took immediate action. "InuYasha sit!"_

_InuYasha who had been prowling dangerously close to Shippou plummeted face first to the ground. This did not help his mood, and when he lifted his head to find Shippou only gone, he took his rage out on his next opponent; Kagome._

_"What the fuck do you think you're doing you bitch?" InuYasha snarled at his wife, bringing Kagome to anger herself._

_"Me? What on earth were you doing? You were going to _kill_ Shippou!"_

_Miroku covered his twin daughter's ears whilst Sango covered their son's, they exchanged knowing looks. _It's like they didn't grow up at all._ Sango thought with a groan._

_Miroku watched the bickering couple with minimal interest. Of course he could see both sides of the situation, but for once he was siding with InuYasha. He could understand that beating Shippou up was probably not the best idea, but he did deserved to be put in line._

_"Fine then!" InuYasha snarled, before he ran off out of sight._

_Kagome sighed before turning to her friends. "Sorry about that."_

_"Umm, Kagome?" Sango began hesitantly. "You do realise why InuYasha was so upset."_

_"He was just angry because Shippou was teasing him."_

_"I think he was more angry because Shippou was teasing you, and then you said 'sit' of course."_

_Kagome raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You think I was out of line? He would have killed him!"_

_"Kagome," Miroku cut in, and he removed his hands from his daughter's ears and pulled them both into his lap. "Understand that Shippou was the one out of line. Yes I understand that InuYasha beating him up was probably not the best solution, but he just wanted to tell Shippou that it's none of his business and he has no right to make comments like that." _

_Kagome blinked, waiting for him to continue._

_Miroku sighed; he'd have to explain to Shippou later too. "InuYasha was more offended that Shippou insulted you."_

_"He offended InuYasha."_

_"He offended the both of you." Sango corrected._

_"And then you defended Shippou, and that didn't sit well with InuYasha when he was trying - in a sense - to defend your honour."_

_"My honour?" Kagome questioned. It was starting to sink in; she just made quite a big mistake. She needed to see InuYasha, make things right. "I'll see you guys later in the village."_

_Miroku and Sango watched Kagome run in the direction InuYasha had taken leave on. "I suppose we should head back to the village then." Miroku said._

_"Because they had a fight?" Sango questioned. "No, let's stay here a little longer." Sango extended out on the grass, her son - Taro - nestled on top of her chest._

* * *

_Kagome entered her and InuYasha's hut hastily, almost knocking the bamboo mat completely off in her rush to find her husband. She spared a quick glance around, and seeing him in the corner of the hut - head down, his hair covering his eyes - she slowly approached him._

_"InuYasha?"_

_He made no movement to acknowledge that he had heard her. He remained as still as a statue._

_"InuYasha, please, I'm sorry." Kagome kneeled next to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder but he shook her hand off. "InuYasha!" she snapped. "Don't ignore me!"_

_"Just leave me alone right now Kagome," he told her, his tone mysterious, something Kagome could not tell exactly what he was thinking._

_"Why? So you can shut me out?" she retorted. "We're supposed to talk about things like this!"_

_"Like you activating that stupid rosary that you haven't used in such a long time for no good reason?"_

_"You were going to kill Shippou!"_

_"No more than he deserved." he snarled back._

_"You don't mean that!"_

_InuYasha finally looked at her. His expression softened, a little. "I suppose I don't."_

_"I am sorry, InuYasha." she tried to touch him again, but he wasn't having any of it. "I shouldn't have jumped to Shippou's side of the argument, for lack of a better word, I should have stood by you. I'm sorry, I just only thought of defending him because you were going to hurt him. He doesn't deserve it, but what I did to you - you don't deserve it either, I'm sorry."_

_InuYasha looked at her, really looked at her. He gazed at the way her whole body was slumped in regret, and it seemed she was close to tears. When did the positions reverse? Wasn't he normally begging for forgiveness? Not the other way around. _

_He sighed. "If you say you're sorry once more, you're going to really piss me off."_

_"I'm sorry." Her hand flew to her lips. Apologising was such a natural reaction for her at the moment, it just slipped out. "Sorry." She mumbled through her covered mouth._

_Kagome was about to say sorry for the other sorry when InuYasha turned her chin towards him. She gazed into his eyes, tears glistening began to blur her vision and she blinked. InuYasha wiped the fallen tears from her cheeks before kissing her forehead. "You're forgiven, as along as you don't say sorry again."_

_"But I truly am." Kagome told him as he pulled her into his lap. "Really."_

_"I know you are. I heard you the first fifty times."_

_Kagome allowed a small smile to come across her lips, it disappeared however when her eyes locked on the rosary. Her hand crept up his chest until her fingers curled around the beads in a tight grip. InuYasha, sensed what she was doing and placed his hand over hers, halting what she was about to do. _

_"No." he said simply._

_Kagome shook her head and began to tug, until his hand began to firm grip her hand._

_"No." he repeated, this time a little more forcefully._

_"You don't need them - I trust you."_

_"You don't abuse it - I trust you."_

_"Idiot!" she chided gently. "I used them today."_

_"My faith in you still hasn't wavered." InuYasha told her, his eyes begging for her to just let it be, not to make a fuss over it._

_"Is it about trust anymore? I don't want this power over you anymore, and it is unfair for you, if we are not treated as equals." _

_"Kagome..." he half whispered, half moaned._

_Kagome tugged the beads hard - they did not budge. Her eyes widened in shock before she gave them another hard tug. Still nothing._

_She growled. "What is going on?"_

_"Come on." InuYasha said, standing with Kagome cradled in his arms and then he placed her on her feet._

_"Kaede's?" Kagome guessed._

_"Who else would know about this?" he pointed to the rosary around his neck._

_Kagome glanced up her husband and smiled. Hesitant about her actions, considering he still might be angry with her, she let her hand brush past his - letting him decide. InuYasha's hand responded kindly, he grabbed hers within his and their fingers intertwined. She looked up at him to find him smiling down at her as the walked. Kagome couldn't help herself; she leaned on him as the continued their way to Kaede's hut._

_"Oi! Kaede!" InuYasha shouted, at the hut._

_"Don't be rude."_

_He rolled his eyes at Kagome as Kaede greeted them at the door. "And what do aye owe the pleasure of ye company?"_

_"This." He pointed at the problem around his neck. "Does not come off."_

_"Ye are much slower than aye expected InuYasha, it was established that-"_

_"I know I can't take it off." InuYasha cut across her. "Kagome tried to take it off just now and it's refusing to come off. What gives?"_

_Kaede sighed. "Aye had forgot about that problem. It does not come off. This is why aye was hesitant to place it on ye in the first place. It was a last resort, to stop ye from attacking Kagome, for once on it can never be removed."_

_"What?" Kagome gasped. "I thought it could be removed!"_

_"Sorry child, it does not come off."_

_"Well that's ridiculous! I'm just going to cut it off then. InuYasha, give me the Tessaiga!"_

_InuYasha stared at his wife as if she had lost her mind. "It's not that big of a problem."_

_"To me it is! I don't want leverage in an argument!"_

_"What about in a fight? If my youkai blood takes over?"_

_Kagome froze, she had forgotten about that._

_To InuYasha, it was his winning statement; Kagome could never fight that logic._

* * *

"Matsuko, please stand still!" Sango demanded her eldest daughter. Matsuko had stained her kimono once again, and Sango was trying to remove, as much as she could before she'd have to wash it. Little Matsuko was the eldest of Sango and Miroku's children, she was the twin sister to Madoka and both twins were eight years old. Taro was their first-born son; he was six years old and their youngest child, a two-year-old boy named Akira. It was only the twins who had shown traits that resembled their parents so far. Matsuko was most like her father and Madoka was more like her mother.

"But Mama!" Matsuko whined.

"No, you can play in a minute." Sango replied, dabbing her cloth in the bucket of water beside her. "How you manage to ruin all your clothing, I'll never know but you need to be more careful, okay?"

"Okay, okay, can I go now?"

Sango shuffled back and observed the kimono. Torn, tattered and dirty, it was as clean as it was ever going to get. "You may go now."

Matsuko wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and kissed her on the cheek before she dashed outside. She had only been outside for a moment before she dashed back inside.

"Mama! Father, Doggie and Shippou are home!" she announced before she dashed back outside to greet them.

Sango smiled. It had only been around a week but she had missed Miroku very much. Her family felt quite incomplete with him missing. She walked outside to see all her children throw themselves at their father before moving onto hugging Shippou's legs and then there was InuYasha. Unfortunately for him, all of her children had taken quite a liking to his ears. They'd stare at them, not horrified or disgusted like InuYasha had been expecting at one point, but with complete fascination. They watched the way they twitched at sounds he could only hear and the way they'd clear display his emotions. It was only natural for the children at the early stages of development to want to put his ears in their mouths. InuYasha did not find this interesting or amusing no matter what way Sango had twisted it. Matsuko and Madoka, being older, began to climb up InuYasha's body trying to touch his ears while Taro and Akira were left to attempt to climb his legs.

"Doggie!" they shouted to close to his ears.

InuYasha cringed and tried to pluck them off his body.

"I should be jealous, my children love your presence more than mine." Miroku joked.

"Can you please get them off?" InuYasha whined at him. "There's nothing wonderful about being called a dog Miroku."

"They mean it in an affectionate way I assure you."

"Whatever." he responded, as Sango came to his rescue and pried Taro and Akira from his legs.

"Have fun?" Sango asked the boys.

"There's nothing fun about work - except the killing youkai part, at least Tessaiga still gets a work out." InuYasha told her as she placed a kiss on Miroku's cheek.

"And how's the little one going?" Miroku asked her belly, rubbing his hand over the spot.

"Just fine."

InuYasha looked around. Miroku's whole family was here and his was not. "Where are Kagome and Kisho?"

"Haven't seen them today." Sango informed him. "But Kisho seems to come over daily. I believe he is coming around later."

"Kisho's coming?" Madoka asked excitedly. She jumped down off InuYasha and tugged on her mother's clothes. "When?"

InuYasha placed Matsuko back on the ground and ran off towards his own home. He slowed up when the hut came in sight and walked in slowly. "Kagome?" he called.

Her soft, steady breathing replied to him. He walked over towards their futon where she slumbered as he stretched out beside her. Of all the times to take a nap, Kagome chose now. InuYasha stroked her face gently, as if she were something very fragile before his hand rested on top of her pregnant stomach. He placed a kiss upon her head and stood up. He decided to find Kisho, seeing as he was nowhere near home, and after all, Kagome wasn't going anywhere.

It took InuYasha a minute to locate his son's scent before he ran off in his direction - the direction of the Goshinboku and the Bone Eater's Well. When heard soft sobbing, he thought his heart would break. Kisho was sitting in the high branches of the Goshinboku crying. InuYasha jumped up into the tree and landed on the branch next to him. Kisho's heart pounded harder for a moment, before he released who was next to him.

"Papa!" he sobbed, and he jumped into his father's outstretch arms.

"Not happy to see me, hey kid?"

Kisho clutched his father's fire rat, red suikan tightly and cried himself to sleep in his arms, with his father stroking him gently his back. InuYasha sighed heavily, this was not the welcome home he had imagined, but this one was probably more realistic. Scooping Kisho up in his arms, he descended down the tree and headed back home. He had hoped Kagome would be awake by now and had an explanation to why Kisho was upset, and alone in the forest.

When he neared their hut, he saw Kagome pacing back and forth out the front, her hands nervously twitching. When she caught sight of them, she jogged over to them and threw her arms around them.

"I was so worried! I went over to Sango's to get Kisho and he wasn't there and then she said you were back but you weren't anywhere either and I was just so worried!" she rambled on in a hurry.

InuYasha kissed the top of her head reassuringly a few times. "We're fine. Although when Kisho wakes up, we really need to talk to him."

Kagome leaned away to touch Kisho's cheek. "I know. He was so happy this morning when he knew today was the day you were coming home. He also looked really sad earlier, like he was keeping something from me. After breakfast, I had to find a few herbs for Kaede so I walked with him mostly to Sango's, he told me he'd stay the day there - something about Madoka wanted to show him something."

"Sango mentioned that she hadn't seen him at all today, she thought he was coming around later."

They looked at their son in InuYasha's arms. What on earth were they going to do?

* * *

"Pa-pa!" Akira said, whilst bouncing on his father's knee. "Pa-pa!" he repeated again.

"Yes, Akira?" Miroku replied, an amused smile played across his lips.

"Hair-tie." Akira replied, before standing on Miroku's thigh and reaching for his hair tie. He gave it a tug - not to mention a good portion of Miroku's hair with it - and yanked out the tie. Miroku's dark, shoulder length hair cascaded out around him and he reached for Akira's hand. Akira snatched his hand away. "No-no." he told him.

Miroku knew that was the end of it, whenever Akira took something that belonged to someone else, he'd never return it, Miroku knew that he would have to stop this habit of his before it became a real problem but right now, the trait was endearing.

"Pa-pa!" Akira spoke again.

"Mmm?"

"Ear-ring." Akira pointed to one of Miroku's ear piercing.

"No, no!" he shook his head vigorously. It was one thing for his youngest to rip out his hair tie; it would be completely different if Akira attempted to rip Miroku's piercing out.

"Yes-yes!" Akira replied, crawling back up his body, his hand getting dangerously close to his ear...

Miroku plucked Akira from his body and held him at arms length. He chuckled at Akira as he still tried to reach his father's ear chanting 'Yes-yes'. Akira spoke very different from his siblings, for even when they were his age, they did not speak the way he did. It wasn't stuttering, it was more the way he dragged out the syllables of each word or gave the word a double syllable when it only had one. No one seemed to know where he picked this technique up.

"Miroku? Akira?" a woman's voice came from the doorway.

The boys stopped what they were doing and faced Sango standing in the doorway with a bemused expression her face.

"He-he start-ed it-it." Akira stated, pointing his finger, and the blame, at his father.

"Is that so?" Sango said, a grin on her face as she sat down next to her husband. "Is that why Papa's hair is out?" she asked Akira, holding up Miroku's locks as evidence.

Akira simply giggled and ran out of the hut.

"I guess he was guilty then."

"I could have told you that. You sided against me from the start." Miroku replied, pouting.

"Don't be silly, I was humouring him. I know he likes to take things."

"Yeah, I need to get another one now."

"What for this?" Sango gestured by lifting a handful of his hair. "I rather like it out." She quickly turned away though; a blush had come across her cheeks. No matter how long she would be married to the man she loved, she'd always have a certain shyness about her bold statements.

"Do you now?" Miroku asked coyly, an impish grin played out across his face.

He hooked his index finger until her chin and turned her head towards him. Sango blushed even more.

"Now, now Sango. I thought we had passed the evasiveness long ago."

"You'll always make me shy." Sango replied, twisted a lock of his hair around her finger.

"Where are the children?"

"Outside, playing with Rin and Shippou. But to you think they'll be -"

"They'll be fine," Miroku replied, placing a kiss on her neck, trailing upwards to her ear. "Rin is almost seventeen and Shippou is sixteen. You know those two are more than capable of taking care of them for a little while."

"They are right outside!" she tried to hiss at him, but it came out more as a whimper.

"So we'll be quiet."

"But I'm pregnant!"

"Never stopped us before."

Sango couldn't argue with that logic, and then she hungrily returned his kisses.

* * *

Kisho's slowly opened his eyes and took in the room around him as two scents registered in his nose: his father and mother's scents. He bolted upright and saw his parents standing a few feet away from him talking. Without waiting for them to spot him, he slowly began to creep towards the door...

"If you really think you can sneak out of this place so easily, you really need to work on your technique." InuYasha commented, without even turning his head.

Kisho's dog-ear sunk within his hair, blending in. He reluctantly walked over to his father and was pulled into his arms. This morning he was so happy and eager to see his father, and now that he had seen him crying, it was talk time and that was something he wanted to avoid.

"Kisho..." Kagome tried to begin but InuYasha cut her off.

"You want to tell us anything? You didn't look very excited to see me today."

"I am happy to see you, but..." Kisho trailed off.

InuYasha raised his eyebrows. "Spit it out." he replied impatiently.

"InuYasha!" Kagome scolded. "Let him take his time."

"I don't want Mama to hear." Kisho mumbled.

"Whatever it is, you can trust your Mama." InuYasha replied solemnly.

"It's a guy thing!" Kisho blurted out.

Kagome took that as her cue to leave. "I'm going down to see Sango. I was going to ask her tonight if she and her family want to come over for dinner, you don't mind, do you?" she added to InuYasha.

InuYasha shook his head and Kagome left.

"So? What don't you want your mother to hear?"

Kisho looked at the floorboards, unsure where to begin. He didn't think his father wouldn't understand, but he had a feeling that his father would believe Kisho had made a big deal out of nothing.

"Well it's about girls... and what I am."

InuYasha felt his heart sink. 'What I am' did not sound promising. He remembered saying the exact same phrase to his mother, although he didn't recall asking about girls. Then again, all InuYasha wanted so desperately back then was a friend. "Go on..." he encouraged.

"Well Mama, she doesn't have a problem with you being a hanyou does she?" Kisho asked the rhetorical question.

InuYasha answered anyway. "No, she doesn't." a thoughtful expression across his face appeared. InuYasha placed Kisho on the ground and sat down. "She doesn't have a problem with you being one either, if that's what this is about." he nearly growled.

Kisho smirked; he got that easily from his father. "But she has to love me the way I am, because I'm her son."

"No, she doesn't have to all. But she does anyway." InuYasha corrected.

"Well, I was wondering. If Mama doesn't have a problem with hanyous, does that mean other girls won't?"

InuYasha felt quite awkward now. He figured the rest out of it easy enough, his son had a crush, and he had a fair idea on whom.

"Papa?" Kisho asked nervously, thinking maybe it was only his mother that felt this way.

"Look, not everyone likes youkai or half-youkai. Some even hate us just 'cause we breathe. But then there are others who let you live because you are living, or some who will be your friend or even love you. I mean look at Shippou, a full blooded youkai and he likes you and then there are the humans in the village that like you, like Sango, Miroku, Rin, Kaede and Madoka." He deliberately said her name last.

Kisho's cheeks pinked. "Not everyone in the village likes me."

InuYasha frowned, he knew that day well.

_There had been a new family that had moved into the village and to say that they were kind and accepting people was like saying Naraku had been a gentleman. The father and mother of the family were so-so people, they gossipped like there was no tomorrow and there son was downright a bully._

_It had been Kisho's forth birthday - Kagome had kept track - and he'd been over the moon with the present he received from his parents - a kemari ball. He was so excited that he raced over to Sango and Miroku's hut, hoping to get Madoka and the other children to play a game. Unfortunately he had run ahead of InuYasha and Kagome and had bumped into the new family's son._

_The child - Fuuta - had been walking around, fairly bored of the new area when he came across Kisho, happily running by with the new ball in his hands. Caught up in his own little world, Fuuta had accidentally tripped Kisho over, a pure innocent mistake, which was until Fuuta realised Kisho was not completely human._

_The kemari ball rolled right towards Fuuta's feet and he picked it up. He had planned to take the ball and leave it at that, but there was something so interesting about the way Kisho was sprawled face first in the dirt before him. So he continued._

_"You're a hanyou." Fuuta sneered._

_Kisho stood up for himself, the boy was a foot taller than him but it didn't break his resolve, although it did make him a tiny bit nervous. No one before now had bullied him about his heritage; they had just stared until they got to know him. "Mama says if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."_

_"She'd know wouldn't she? She's a hanyou! Didn't want to be picked on. Or is it your father that's the hanyou?"_

_"Don't talk about them like that!" Kisho snarled, and made a swipe for his ball but Fuuta was too fast and he missed._

_Fuuta then kicked Kisho's stomach, and watched him collapse to the ground in a ball. Fuuta realised he had taken it too far then when he wasn't sure Kisho was going to get back up. He dropped the ball and planned to make a dash for it. Planned..._

_"What the fuck are you doing to my son, you little shit?" InuYasha snarled at Fuuta, holding the child up by his shirt at his eye level._

_"P-put me d-down." the child stuttered._

_"Fine." InuYasha dropped Fuuta and he landed on the ground with a thud._

_Fuuta then got up in a scramble, trying to run away until Kagome's voice stopped him. _

_"Wait!"_

_Fuuta would have believed Kagome to be kind and gentle any other time, but her tone was evident that she was far from it right now._

_"Where are your parents?" she asked, her voice cold and it somehow did not suit her. She picked up Kisho and cradled him in her arms, whilst InuYasha grabbed his ball._

_"At home."_

_"Then lead us there, I want to speak to them."_

_Fuuta had no choice but to lead them there, he thought about running a couple of times but decided against it. He knew the father there - who looked fit to kill - would chase after him and catch him anyway._

_Kagome passed Kisho over to InuYasha, who had not stopped holding his legs to his chest, and told him she'd speak to them because she would be less likely to rip any of them limp from limp if things went sour. InuYasha nodded, understanding perfectly. Kagome may have had a fair idea of how it must have felt like, but she still couldn't grasp the entire situation. InuYasha could, he had lived through it. He looked down at Kisho in his lap and felt sympathy and emphasised completely with him. InuYasha had originally been against the idea of him and Kagome having children, for fear of things like this happening to their children, but Kagome eventually convinced him it would be all right._

_They had reached the hut and InuYasha sat down outside while Kagome entered the hut to speak with the parents. Fuuta's mother was only home, so she informed her of the situation, hoping for his mother to feel disgusted at his behaviour. Fuuta's mother however did not agree with Kagome's ideas. She rudely pushed Kagome out of her home, calling her names; 'Unpure Miko' and 'Youkai Whore' were among them._

_When Kagome lost her footing and slipped, InuYasha caught her with his free arm and pulled her upright. He glared at the woman and took off out of sight. There were so many things he would have liked to have said to that woman, but he felt he couldn't. If he did, he'd have been no better than her, right?_

"Well not everyone counts Kisho." InuYasha said. "The only ones that do are the ones that matter to you."

"Right."

"Now what was this about girls?" InuYasha asked out of curiosity. He belittled himself with his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

"Just one girl actually."

"Yeah, well, worry about that later. You're only five, you don't have to get married right now."

"Marry Madoka?" Kisho replied, then gasped when he realised what he had just revealed. He clamped his hand over his mouth.

InuYasha smirked. "Madoka hey?"

* * *

Kagome saw out the front of Miroku and Sango's home a strange, yet interesting sight. There, sitting in a circle holding hands was, Shippou, Rin, Madoka, Matsuko, Taro and Akira. Kagome smiled and then proceeded to their hut. She was about to push back the mat when Shippou interrupted her.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you." Shippou said, his voice grave.

"Any why is that?"

"If you had my nose, you wouldn't go in there, let's leave it at that."

Kagome quickly caught on and backed away from the hut. "So what are you all doing?" she asked the little circle.

"It's called a peace circle Kagome, so please be quiet. You're disrupting the silence and peace." Rin informed her, one eyelid battered open.

"I'll be back in a minute." Shippou whispered to Rin, and he broke hands with her and Taro.

Shippou grabbed Kagome's arm and leaded her, a small distance away from the circle. "Do you want me to pass a message onto Sango and Miroku? When they are available of course."

Kagome's cheeks pinked and she nodded. "I just wanted to ask them if the family could come over for dinner tonight. Oh and you should come Shippou, and ask Rin too and perhaps Kaede?"

"Eh, sure. Rin and I will be there, not sure about Kaede though. She's been a bit sick today." Shippou explained, his eyes a little sad. Shippou had stayed at Kaede's whenever he was staying in the village. He thought there was not much point creating his own hut just yet; he travelled to often to have a place to himself.

"Oh dear." Kagome replied. "Well send her our wishes for a speedy recovery. I'll see you tonight."

"See you tonight then."

* * *

"How many people are going to be here?" InuYasha asked.

"Uh, Miroku and Sango's family, that makes six, Shippou and Rin, that's now eight and I'm not sure if Kaede is feeling up to it though." Kagome replied, not removing her eyes from chopping the vegetables. She planned on making a simple stew - for eleven people. _I'm going to need a bigger pot._ Kagome thought, as she eyed her own.

"You want to put eleven people in this?" InuYasha asked his tone was sceptical as he pointed at the walls.

"We could always sit outside. Anyway, did you get that water I asked for?"

"Yes."

"And the rabbits?"

"Yes."

"What about some sake?"

InuYasha's eyes went wide. He refused to have any of that under his roof. "We don't have any." He informed her in an unusual voice.

"I thought we did."

"Nope. None."

"O-okay."

* * *

"I'm sure InuYasha will see your sense of humour." Sango said sarcastically. She walked beside Miroku with Akira in her arms.

Miroku was holding Taro's hand with one and in the other, a nice jug of sake. "Well, that sounded a little sarcastic."

"Maybe because it was, we know what happened last time InuYasha drank too much. I don't think he will ever live that down, especially in front of most of the village!"

Miroku chuckled. "I wonder if he'll have any tonight."

"Don't get your hopes up."

* * *

Kagome served a generous serving of stew to everyone in attendance as they sat down outside under the sky. InuYasha and Miroku got a small fire started and when everyone had received their's they huddled around the fire in a circle. Kaede decided on not coming, she had thanked Kagome for the offer but decided that she'd rather have a good night's rest. Kagome had got InuYasha to take a serving of stew over for her so she would not have to worry about preparing a meal for herself.

"Anyone for sake?" Miroku announced, as he held up his jug in front of everyone.

"Sa-ke?" Akira asked.

InuYasha felt a chill run down his spine before he felt a strong amount of anger directed at the monk. He'd done this deliberately. Kagome and Sango refused, but Shippou and Rin decided for just one. Miroku poured himself a glass before he pushed the jug in front of InuYasha's face. He felt himself going bright red and felt more than inclined to beat Miroku over the head with it.

Sango, Shippou and Rin giggled a bit before deciding it was probably not the smart thing to do.

"No thank you." InuYasha snapped.

But that didn't stop Miroku. "Remember that time InuYasha got drunk? Oww! What was that for?"

InuYasha didn't care for being around his presence anymore and stomped off inside.

"You shouldn't tease." Sango chided.

"Too good of an opportunity. He would have done the same for me."

"Such great friends you two are." Rin added.

Kagome let a little smile grace her lips. The night in reference was the night she had return to the Feudal Era. There was a small celebration, and there was sake involved. Miroku pushed InuYasha into having a few drinks, and by the third InuYasha didn't need Miroku's pressure anymore, he drank them on his own. All night it looked like he would pass out, and Kagome never left his side - which may have been part of the problem. With Kagome by his side the whole night, InuYasha was constantly leaning all over her and once his arm was around her, he never let go. He almost beat up a man when he heard one of them comment about how he couldn't wait to get Kagome alone in his hut.

Kagome never told anyone what he had said to her that night, he didn't make any declarations of love - he was actually smart enough to wait until he was sober - but his mood swings happened so fast Kagome could not keep up. One moment he would hold her extra tight, saying that he did not want her to disappear, the next moment he'd be telling her how happy he was that she was back to stay.

"I'll see if I can get him to come out." Kagome announced as she put her bowl down.

She walked inside to see InuYasha stretched out on their futon, staring at the wooden ceiling. She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers.

"Not being a good host you know."

"I don't care."

"Come on InuYasha, you know Miroku is only teasing." She made patterns of soothing circles on his hand with her thumb.

"Keh!" he snorted.

"Stop acting like a child, you can be worse than Kisho at sometimes!"

Outside they heard Shippou who just started laughing. He could every word they were saying no doubt, and Kisho could probably hear them too.

InuYasha growled, which only added to Shippou's laughter. "Fine, let's get this over with."

"You make it sound like a chore."

"Sitting through Miroku's antics _is_ a chore."

Kagome pulled InuYasha out of their home by his hand and rejoined the group by the fire. Two children were missing. While Taro was sitting in his mother's lap and Matsuko was holding her younger brother in her lap, which left Madoka and Kisho not sitting down.

InuYasha turned his head and saw, not out of the sight of the fire, Madoka and Kisho sitting down together gazing up at the stars. InuYasha smiled at the cosy scene the children had created. Ever since Kisho had been born, Madoka had taken the most curious and interested approach to him. She adored him as a baby and when he grew to an age where he could play with her, that made her like him even more and neither of them cared about the age difference. InuYasha had no doubts that when they would start to grow up and mature, they would enjoy each other's company more so.

* * *

"Nice night wasn't it?" Kagome asked, as InuYasha stretched out on the futon beside her.

"I guess so. Everyone is getting older."

Kagome didn't reply to that. They may have both been physically twenty-four, but she knew she would start showing signs of definite aging long before he would. Kagome felt a pang of in her heart when she realised she would eventually die and leave InuYasha alone in this world. Death had scared her more now that life was better than it ever had been before, and she couldn't stop a few stray tears from falling.

InuYasha rolled over to her instantly. He kissed her cheek and wiped away her tears with his thumb. "No tears. No use crying over what you can't change."

That didn't help and she simply wrapped her arm around his back and pulled him to the side of her body. His head nestled under her chin as he placed butterfly kisses on her neck. _I promise I will find a way to be with you for as long as you live, InuYasha._ Kagome thought.

"We've talked about this Kagome," he mumbled from her neck.

"I know." she whispered brokenly.

InuYasha sighed and he propped himself up on his hands over her body and stared into her eyes, his hair draping around them like a curtain, shutting off the rest of the world.

"I'm going to be old, and wrinkly one day and you might not have even changed a bit."

"So?"

"You're honestly going to tell me that you'll still want me when I'm old?" Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"I'm always going to want you, Kagome. I don't give a shit if you get old, fat or you just become ugly one day, 'cause I'll still love you."

"So you'll love me out of obligation? You'll be intimate with me out of obligation?" she turned her head away from him and met his silverly white hair.

InuYasha growled and turned her head back to face him. "Fucking hell, you know I'm not good with words, so stop making this harder for me to convince you!"

"Well, I'm sorry then! And I'm sorry I'm going to get old, fat and ugly too! I can't help being human!" she snapped.

"And I can't help being an hanyou!" he retorted. "I can't help it that I'm going to age slower than you!"

"I'm sorry InuYasha," she whispered, reaching up and touching his face. "I don't want to leave you, ever."

He sighed and turned his head to kiss her hand. "But you love me right?"

"Of course, now and forever."

"Then that's all that matters."

He lowed his mouth to meet hers and convinced her through his actions - he'd always spoke louder with his actions rather than his words. His hand made its way from her shoulder slower down to her thigh where it then began it's way upwards...

"Mama! Papa!" Kisho had raced through the beaded divider and affectively shut down all possibilities for the couple.

InuYasha moaned and rolled off the top of his wife. "What is it?"

"Sorry Papa," Kisho began, unsure of what he had done wrong. "But I had a bad dream."

"Come here sweetie." Kagome held her hand up and Kisho ran over and grabbed it. She pulled Kisho into an embrace and held him. "Go back to sleep, it won't bother you no more."

The family of three cuddled up in each other's arms and soon fell asleep. Another ordinary day gone by, with another one on the way and they couldn't be more eager for it.

* * *

_Thanks for reading!_

Plus some self-promotion: www. youtube. com/ watch?vX9ak1jg34KI

Remove the spaces!

Also, if you didn't catch the character's ages now this is what they are:

InuYasha: 24

Kagome: 24

Kisho: 5

Miroku: 27

Sango: 25

Matsuko & Madoka: 8

Taro: 6

Akira: 2

Kaede: 69

Shippou: 16

Rin: 17


End file.
